By Christopher Shaban
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A total of 294 days have passed since the last time a local Vermont basketball game took place on Feb. 29. And there is still no word when practices, let alone games, can and will begin.
While everyone is awaiting the green light, the Southern Vermont League (SVL) is changing its division alignment for the 2020-2021 basketball season. According to SVL Executive Director Tim Brown, the league’s athletic directors approved a four-division plan based on size (large and small) and geography (East and West), with six schools in each division.
On Dec. 15, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said that the COVID-19 State of Emergency has been extended to Jan. 15, 2021. All previous addendum to the State of Emergency remain in place, including a temporary suspensions of social gatherings and youth and adult recreational sports activities, not related to Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) sanctioned school sports, are suspended until further notice. Winter sports practices were originally scheduled to begin on Nov. 30, but have been on hold since Nov. 24.
“The VPA is ready to begin indoor and/or outdoor sports when/if we receive the green light from the Department of Health and the Governor. Since we are in an epidemic health crisis, they will decide when and if it is safe to proceed. We are hoping to hear some definite answers in the near future,” said VPA Executive Director Jay Nichols. “The extension of the emergency itself has nothing to do with the start of winter sports.”
The SVL plan is to have to have 10 league games, or two games against each of the other five teams in the division, with those league games hopefully to be played between Jan. 25 and Feb. 27.
The rest of the schedule is filled out with regional crossover games, some of which scheduled before league play begins and some scheduled after league play concludes, to fill out an 18-game schedule.
These changes are only in play for the 2020-2021 basketball season.
The divisional breakdowns are as follows:
Boys Large School West: Fair Haven, Otter Valley, Mount St. Joseph, Rutland, Burr and Burton, Mount Anthony.
Boys Large School East: Hartford, Woodstock, Springfield, Windsor, Bellows Falls, Brattleboro.
Boys Small School West: Mill River, West Rutland, Proctor, Poultney, Long Trail, Arlington.
Boys Small School East: Rivendell, White River Valley, Sharon, Green Mountain, Leland and Gray, Twin Valley.
Girls Large School West: Fair Haven, Otter Valley, Mount St. Joseph, Rutland, Burr and Burton, Mount Anthony.
Girls Large School East: Hartford, Woodstock, Springfield, Windsor, Bellows Falls, Brattleboro.
Girls Small School West: Mill River, West Rutland, Proctor, Poultney, Long Trail, Arlington.
Girls Small School East: Rivendell, White River Valley, Sharon/Mid-Vermont Christian (co-op), Green Mountain, Leland and Gray, Twin Valley.
The start date for games is still scheduled for Jan. 11, but that could be pushed back if Gov. Scott continues the pause on recreational and school-based sports.
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